Rise in UK Radicalization Referrals Down to "Dragnet" Approach to Muslims

The comments by Sir James Munby follow the revelation that family courts have imposed orders on at least 23 children at risk of radicalization. Eleven families are believed to be involved — including a one-year-old baby — who has been put under care of the local authority amid concerns the child could be taken out of the UK to join Islamic State terrorists.

The rise in radicalization cases has been reported in new guidelines written by Sir James Munby on how best to deal with ISIL related cases in family courts. Sir James says all child radicalization cases must come before a High Court judge.

"These are allegations that children, with their parents or on their own, are planning or being groomed to travel to parts of Syria controlled by the so-called Islamic State; that children are at risk of being radicalized or that children are at risk of being involved in terrorist activities either in this country or abroad."

The new guidance from the President of the Family Division of the High Court comes after figures from the National Police Chief's Council reveal that 796 people in England and Wales have been reported to the British government's de-radicalization scheme known as "Channel" during June to August this year — 312 were under 18 years old.

The statistics from the summer show that there were 327 referrals in June, 349 in July and 120 in August — more than the whole of 2012/13.

Since 1 July 2015, all schools, prisons and local councils are legally required to report a child or adult thought to be at risk of radicalization to the police who then will, if necessary, refer them to deradicalization sessions.

But the mandatory reporting of people at risk of radicalization has been accused by the Islamic Human Rights Council (IHRC) of being a "dragnet" approach to the Muslim community, which is "demonizing" and "stigmatizing".

The IHRC cites a case involving a 14-year-old Muslim schoolboy, who was questioned about ISIL after a classroom discussion about environmental activism. His parents are taking legal action claiming their son was left "scared and nervous" by his experience at his school in north London and "reluctant" to join class discussions, in fear that teachers might suspect him of extremism. 

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced in September 2014 that any suspected British jihadist returning from Iraq or Syria would be forced to attend the government's 'Prevent' program. The IHRC, however, says the 'Prevent' program is based on racist and Islamophobic assumptions.

In a recent interview with Sputnik, a leading counter-terrorism expert said the UK's 'Prevent program' is "under-researched and understudied".

Professor Hamed El-Said from Manchester Metropolitan University said:

"The UK deradicalization program is not known to be among the most comprehensive or successful. It is shredded in secrecy and, therefore, remains under-researched, understudied and as such, little is known about its effectiveness."

The UK government is due to publish it's counter-extremism bill later this year.